逗號(comma)的五個主要用法習慣(#5)


 逗號:用法習慣 #5

在長句子中,我們可以在「結構上合理」的位置加入逗號來加入停頓。

例:We think that it is important for us to help them achieve this goal, and to do so as soon as possible.


一般而言,我們可以使用逗號來分隔長句子中的不同部分,以方便讀者閱讀。

不過,我們只會把它放在「合理」的位置 – 即可顯示句子整體結構的位置,而非隨機位置。

如在上述例句中,將逗號放在「and」前面並不屬於慣常用法,因為這個「and」不是連接另一個子句,而只是連接子句內部的兩個平衡詞組「to help…」和「to do…」。而且,因為只是有兩個元素,一般也不用加逗號分隔。

(即是,這用法並不是慣常用法 #1 和 #3 解釋的情況。)

然而,這逗號在這句子中卻用得十分自然,因為它出現在一個「合理」的位置(兩個平衡元素之間),成功地分隔一個長句子,加入了讓讀者自然停頓的位置。


小練習

根據用法習慣 #5,在以下句子中的 ( ) 位置加入逗號,自然嗎?

a.  Some parents would sleep on sofas or chairs to vacate the family’s only bed with proper bedding and support for their young children (,) while other families would have children sleeping on mattresses or blankets on the floor so that the working adults can have a good night’s sleep.

b.  It makes me so angry and upset that somebody would do such a thing to something that has been so special to so many people over so many generations (,) just in order to take a video for social media.

總結練習

我們已見過五種逗號最主要的用法習慣。要記住,在句子中,這些用法習慣是會一起出現的。細閱以下文字,嘗試分析當中不同的逗號是反映哪一種用法習慣:


The tree was made famous globally by the Robin Hood movie, but for local people, it was much more than that. It was a place for engagements, weddings or spreading ashes, or just somewhere to go for some peace and tranquility. A woman, who said generations of her family had visited the tree, was sobbing, with her head in her hands.


Adapted from Jenny Gross. (2023, Sept. 28). ‘Beloved Tree in England Is Felled in "Act of Vandalism"’. The New York Times
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/09/28/world/europe/sycamore-gap-tree-uk.html


____________________

(English version)

Commas: Usage convention #5

We can put commas in "structurally sensible" positions to break up a long sentence.

e.g. We think that it is important for us to help them achieve this goal, and for us to do so as soon as possible.


Generally, we can use commas to break up different parts of long sentences so that they are easier for the reader to read.

These commas create "pauses" for readers.

However, we would still only "pause" in "sensible" places – that is, places that would reflect the overall structure of the sentence rather than in random places.

For example, in the example above, the comma before "and" is not a conventional use since this "and" is not linking a separate clause.

There are also just two parallel elements, "for us to help…" and "for us to do…," which normally do not require a comma as separation.

(As in, this comma use fits neither convention #1 nor convention #3)

However, this comma is still quite natural here because it is breaking up a long sentence in a position that is "sensible" – between the two parallel elements.

Mini Exercise

Are the places marked by ( ) "sensible" positions for a comma according to convention #5?

a.   Some parents would sleep on sofas or chairs to vacate the family’s only bed with proper bedding and support for their young children (,) while other families would have children sleeping on mattresses or blankets on the floor so that the working adults can have a good night’s sleep.

b.  It makes me so angry and upset that somebody would do such a thing to something that has been so special to so many people over so many generations (,) just in order to take a video for social media.

Summary Exercise

We have now looked at five of the most common usage conventions for commas. Remember that all of these conventions apply to sentences all at the same time! Read the following paragraph and think about which usage convention each of the commas reflects:

The tree was made famous globally by the Robin Hood movie, but for local people, it was much more than that. It was a place for engagements, weddings or spreading ashes, or just somewhere to go for some peace and tranquillity. A woman, who said generations of her family had visited the tree, was sobbing, with her head in her hands.


Adapted from Jenny Gross. (2023, Sept. 28). ‘Beloved Tree in England Is Felled in "Act of Vandalism"’. The New York Timeshttps://www.nytimes.com/2023/09/28/world/europe/sycamore-gap-tree-uk.html

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